e:--

"We have just come up from our evening meal, my beloved sister, and
are sitting in our little study for a while before taking our
moonlight ramble on the river bank. After thou left us, I cleared up
the dishes, and then swept the house; got down to the kitchen just in
time for dinner, which, though eaten alone, was, I must confess, very
much relished, for exercise gives a good appetite, thou knowest. I
then set my beans to boil whilst I dusted, and was upstairs waiting,
ready dressed, for the sound of the 'Echo's' piston. Soon I heard it,
and blew my whistle, which was _not_ responded to, and I began to fear
my Theodore was not on board. But I blew again, and the glad response
came merrily over the water, and I thought I saw him. In a little
while he came, and gave me all your parting messages. On Second Day
the weather was almost cold, and we were glad to take a run at noon up
the Palisades and sun ourselves on the rock at the first opening.
Returning, we gathered some field beans, and some apples for stewing,
as our fruit was nearly out. In the evening it was so cool that we
thought a fire would be more comfortable, so we sat in the kitchen,
paring apples, shelling beans, and talking over the Bible argument;[8]
and, as we had a fire, I thought we had better stew the apples at
once. This was done to save time the next day, but I burnt them sadly.
However, thou knowest they were just as nice to our Theodore, who
_never_ complains of anything. Third Day evening we took a walk up the
Palisades. The moon shone most beautifully, throwing her mantle of
light all abroad over the blue arch of heaven, the gently flowing
river, and the woods and vales around us. I could not help thinking,
if earth was so lovely and bright, what must be the glories of that
upper Temple which needeth not the light of the sun or of the moon. O
sister, shall we ever wash our robes so white in the blood of the Lamb
as to be clean enough to enter that pure and holy Temple of the Most
High? We returned to our dear little home, and went to bed by the lamp
of heaven; for we needed no other, so brightly did she shine through
our windows. We remembered thee, dear sister, in our little seasons of
prayer at the opening and closing of each day. We pray the Lord to
bring thee back to us in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of
peace, and to make our house a _home_ to thy weary, tossed, afflicted
spirit. We feel it a great blessing to have thee und